What If This Storm Ends?
by Lexie-Rae
Summary: Tucked into the back of Peyton Scott's wardrobe is a secret; a secret that has been carefully concealed for sixteen years. Now, with the reappearance of an old face in Tree Hill, everything that's been covered up is about to be exposed. LP.
1. Good Morning

_She watches as he thumps the leather basketball against the sidewalk in a gentle easy rhythm. It seems a simple motion, as though he's well practised and familiar with the dribbling of the ball, and she supposes he is. She knows in fact, deep in her heart._

_In his ears she notes white buds, linked together by a snaking wire that runs down his shirt and disappears into the pocket of his shorts. She aches to know what music he's listening to, it seems important somehow, although she can't quite put her finger on why. _

_On his back hangs an unzipped grey hooded jacket that she recognises from the logo embellished in blue. It makes a smile catch over her lips momentarily, before it blows away into the night. _

_He's tall and broad across the shoulders, as she expected him to be, if she's honest. He has dirty blond hair which is long and messy. It hangs over his eyes at times and curls over the tops of his ears. His nose flat and slightly upturned sits above rose plump lips that hold a constant kind of easy half smirk._

_And his eyes. Gorgeous narrow eyes that squint into the breaking day. They're of the deepest, darkest blue; like pooling oceans that hold secrets beneath their surface._

_Her breath stops for a moment, she's sure, as he jogs by her car and continues on past her, like a stranger. Because that's simply what they are. And it kills her already broken heart, the tiny fractures finally splitting into a thousand scattered pieces at her feet. It looks beyond hope and beyond repair, almost. There's only one glue she knows can fix the pieces back together again. It will probably cause a hellish wildfire of heartache in it's wake, but there's the possibility of something so beautiful at the end of it all. And that will make the journey worth the pain. _

…

Lucas Scott awakes to the feel of warm breath over his lips and his wife's laughter in his ears. In his opinion it's the best way to wake up, it beats coffee and alarm clocks any day. He smiles and rolls over to greet his wife.

"Over here," She laughs again, from somewhere behind him.

He frowns and slowly blinks his eyes open into the morning. To his left there's a bare pillow and a tangle of sheets. It's the place that his girl should be occupying right now. He loves their mornings together; some days it's the only time that they truly have alone. And God, she's beautiful in the mornings. She always is, but there's something special about sharing time together before the rest of the world gets at them.

Clumsily he turns back onto his other side to where she's stood, already dressed. She's wearing a navy coloured dress that stops at the perfect point right above her knees and a pair of high strapped heels. He vaguely remembers something about a meeting now, and he's a bit put out that she didn't wake him earlier. He doesn't like missing out on any time with his wife.

"Morning, Blondie." He husks in a dry tone.

Her eyes are shining and there's the whisper of a smile across her soft lips. "Hey, sleepy eyes."

Lucas pouts a little as he sits up and runs a hand through his hair absently as she watches on amused. She could watch him all day; squinting and brooding his way into the day. Picking up his watch from the bedside table, Lucas chuckles, "It's not even 6am..are you sick?"

"Hilarious." Peyton says straight faced as she takes her rings from the dresser and slips them over her fingers. He knows that she rescheduled her meeting in Raleigh from 9pm in a bar with awesome music to 9am in a coffee house with elevator music.

Lucas stands groggily and lays his hands on her hips, "Thank you for moving your meeting. I know how much you hate early mornings."

She smiles and shrugs her shoulders a little, "Happy Midnight Madness Day, Luke."

He moves one hand to caress her face softly and leans in for a soft morning kiss. Peyton closes her eyes and slips her hands around his neck, losing her fingers in his hair.

"I have to go," She whispers into his ear and reluctantly pulls away. "I'll call you when I get to Raleigh."

"Okay," He nods, "Drive safe,"

At the door she stops and turns back to him, "Unless you want to tell me who you've chosen to captain the Ravens?"

He smirks, knowing that everyone's waiting on him and Nathan as the coaches of the Ravens to reveal who the captain is, "Not a chance. You'll find out tonight, like everyone else."

"You suck, you know that?" She says through a narrowed glare and quickly debates whether to use her legs as leverage. It works every time.

"You wanted something?" Lucas smirks as she lingers.

She shakes her head, no. If she stays at home much longer, she'll miss her meeting all together. "Just, I love you."

A lop-sided smirk flies to his lips, "Love you too, Peyt."

She hurries down the stairs and he hears her keys drag across the kitchen counter and then the door clicking closed as she leaves the house. Knowing that he won't be able sleep any more now, Lucas pulls a t-shirt over his bare chest and jogs downstairs.

Ignoring the wine glasses in the sink, he moves to the refrigerator in search of something decent for breakfast. He finds eggs, which is kind of remarkable considering the fact that it had been Peyton's turn to run to the grocery store last. They alternate trips because they both hate the damn place with its coupons, snaking lines and wayward carts. Usually when it's her turn, she returns with an adorably apologetic expression and a random assortment of things she was able to pick up from the gas station. He's impressed to see eggs.

He gets the pan ready and refills the coffee pot. From the cupboard he pulls down his favourite mug. It's old and tired; there's a chip in the handle that one day he's sure will bring about its fatal end, and the porcelain glaze has faded over the years. But he swears coffee tastes best when drunk from its lip. The _Daddy_ embellishment is kind of the crowning glory, in painted Raven blue.

Smiling, he pours himself a black coffee and yawns away his tiredness. He returns to the pan and begins cracking eggs, the smell of breakfast dancing into the air. Out of habit he flicks on the radio, used to having music filling every room of the house.

He's just about to serve himself a plate when the thumping of sneakers on the stairs interrupts him. He inclines his head curiously when his daughter shuffles into the room a moment later.

"Coffee." The sixteen year old mumbles almost inaudibly. Her eyes are still bleary and her hair is nothing less than an unruly mess of blonde tangles. She slumps into a seat at the counter and rests her chin on her hands, her elbows propped on the work surface. She's already dressed for school in her Ravens cheerleading uniform and beloved black Chuck Taylors, and there's an all too familiar leather jacket slung over the back of her seat. She's every inch her mother.

"You shouldn't be drinking coffee, Sawy," Lucas says, pointlessly. She's been drinking the stuff for years. At first it was in secret, because she knew her parents wouldn't like it - and truthfully she didn't much like the bitter taste either - but they grew to accept the inevitability, somewhat. Lucas pours a cup for her, in a Hard Rock Café mug that she's never let anyone else drink out of. She hugs the cup with her hands and smiles when her Dad pours a few heaped spoonfuls of sugar in for her.

Lucas inclines his head at his daughter curiously, "You're up early,"

"Don't remind me." Sawyer says and her whole body seems to groan. "We're having an emergency cheer practise."

Lucas chuckles at his daughter, "This isn't really your best hour for cheeriness."

Sawyer only glares back at him and sips at her coffee, ironically proving his point.

Knowing that goading Sawyer early in the morning can be like prodding a sleeping bear, Lucas leaves her be and pushes four slices of bread into the toaster. He taps his fingertips in time to the song playing on the radio and smiles when he hears Sawyer tapping her foot too.

When the toast pops up he serves up two plates, one for himself and one for Sawyer. He takes a seat beside his almost grown up daughter and watches as she twists her fork around through the air as she drinks from her coffee cup. And the way that her curls always fall free form behind her ears, no matter how often she pushes them back. And the way that her eyes glaze over when a song she likes comes on.

"What?" She questions, when she catches him looking; a mouth full of food when she speaks.

Instinctively he shakes his head. Her whole life she's been compared to her mother, it wouldn't exactly be news to tell Sawyer that she's the picture of Peyton right now. "Nothing."

Her eyes interrogate him carefully and he thinks she's beginning to warm up to the morning.

"You remind me of your Mom, that' s all." Lucas admits with a shrug of his shoulders.

Sawyer rolls her eyes but there's the shyest of smiles over her lips.

Lucas can't help from smile too, he loves that Sawyer is just like Peyton. Since the day that she was born, he's seen Peyton in almost every facial expression and mannerism she makes. Only on the absolute rarest of occasions will he see any hint of himself in his little girl. He doesn't mind in the slightest though. For the first four days of Sawyer's life it was just her and him. And he would have felt completely alone, were it not for all the pieces of Peyton he could see in that tiny little miracle baby.

…

Peyton smiles as the sun begins to show from between the clouds. It's October and the weather's cooling considerably but she's driving with the top down anyway because road trips are always better with the roof down. That and she's killer tired so the fresh air is also acting as a caffeine replacement.

She drives alongside the river, the Foo Fighters blaring from the speakers. It's a slightly longer route this way, but she likes the scenery, the nostalgia. As she nears the rivercourt she can't help but glance across.

When she does, she sees a sight she wasn't expecting.

Slowly she pulls her car to a stop, checking her watch before slipping out of the car and crossing the grass to the basketball court that's as familiar to her as her home. If she looks hard enough, she's sure that she can make out the faded Cure lyrics she painted on there so many years ago now. Her lips twitch at the corners as she watches the ball sail perfectly through the hoop. She lets it bounce once before catching it in her hands.

She arches her brow to the blonde haired, blue eyed boy squinting back at her, "Kid, you had better have a great explanation as to why you're not at home right now."

He drops his hands to his side and sighs largely, "I don't know if I'm good enough, Mom."

Seeing the look in his eye, so solemn and afraid about the impending Ravens Captain announcement, Peyton drops the ball and strides across asphalt to gather her baby boy up in her arms. She feels his hands snake around her back and clutch onto her freshly ironed dress, creasing it in his fists like always.

"Okay," Peyton pulls back in his hold slightly, "Let me make one quick phone call and then I am going to tell you why you have no reason to be worried."

He shakes his head, "You'll be late,"

"Elliot, I'm not going." Peyton says, cupping his chin with her hand. "You and I are going to get a rootbeer float."

He goes to argue but she holds out her hand to silence him as she dials her business partner, Max. She wearing an expression that says he'd never be able to talk her out of it, even if he tried. He listens to her coyly coax Max into the idea of leaving his bed and hauling up to Raleigh for her business meet.

Max, or Uncle Max, as he was known as for all of about a year when Elliot was younger, is one of the partners at Red Bedroom Records. After having kids, Peyton let go of some of her responsibilities and begged her old friend Max to help her out. He begrudgingly agreed, stating limitations to his workload which of course Peyton has continuously neglected to adhere to. Max though, being the kind of soul who can't say no, least of all when good music is involved, always steps up.

"He said yes." Peyton smiles as she hangs up the phone.

"Of course he did." Elliot says. He and Sawyer actually have a theory that Max is completely in love with their Mom – in a Severus Snape/Lily Potter messed up kind of way – hence all of the self-sacrifice. Peyton though insists the guy just loves music and would gladly leave Red Bedroom if any bands were to let him be their groupie.

After Elliot slings his kit bag and ball onto the backseat, Peyton fires up the Comet and takes them back in the direction she came, towards Main Street. The closer they get, the more blue and white the town becomes; everyone gets pretty excited about basketball season in this town.

"Can we not go to the café, Ma?" Elliot requests quietly. He doesn't feel like running into his Aunt Haley or any of his cousins that might be working the dreaded breakfast shift.

"Sure," Peyton nods and then smiles knowingly, "I know a place."

…

Sawyer stands from her seat and drops her plate in the sink with a clatter. She grabs the leather jacket from the back her seat – a leather jacket that has now been passed through three generations – and sighs at the thought of going to school so early.

She crosses back to Lucas and presses a quick to his cheek, "Bye, Daddy."

The term of endearment causes a smile to flash to Lucas' lips, "Have a good day."

She smiles a little too sweetly for his liking and he shakes his head, not wanting to know what may or may not be going on in her head. Of his two kids Sawyer is the one that's going to give him grey hairs.

The door slams loudly, something Sawyer has a knack for, causing Lucas to jolt and spill a little of his coffee. He hears Sawyer's car roar to life ferociously and he's reminded of a teenage Peyton roaring though red lights. Lucas winces slightly at the sound of her tyres screeching as she swings out of the driveway and into the street. He's warned her about that before, jesting that her old man has a weaker heart than most and she'd do well to remember that when driving so damn haphazardly. But taming Sawyer Scott is a near impossible feat.

"Hey, Old Man."

Lucas jumps again and cusses. From across the room his brother laughs.

"Sorry, Luke, didn't realise I was walking in on my _Grandmother_." Nathan teases, smirking the same smile he wore as a teenager.

The blond haired brother shakes his head, "How did you get in here?"

"Sawyer," Nathan supplies, as he delves into the fridge and helps himself to a snack. Lucas knows that Haley keeps a fully stocked kitchen so he has no idea why Nathan feels the need to take his food. He watches as Nathan frowns and pokes his head back out of the fridge, "Hey, where's the Toaster Strudel?"

Lucas snorts, "I live with Peyton and Sawyer."

Nothing of the sugary sweet variety lasts long around their house, especially if it's of the easy-to-prepare variety.

"Right." Nathan nods, deflated and closes the fridge again. "So, ready for Midnight Madness?"

"Are we ever?" Lucas asks through a chuckle, recalling the events of previous years.

"Big year this year." Nathan notes, taking an apple from the fruit bowl."Another Scott up in the ranks."

Lucas sets down his fork,"I'm nervous for him."

Nathan frowns, chewing on the apple, "Why? Elliot's great. He must get it from me."

"Haha." Lucas says flatly as he rolls his shoulders. "It's just that I know how he gets, he's like me. I don't want him to feel all this pressure and then...you know,"

Nathan nods and gulps down his mouthful, "Choke."

"Right." Lucas swallows thickly.

Nathan punches him lightly on the arm, "I told you, he takes after me. Kid will be fine."

Lucas scoffs into his drink. Elliot is a great basketball player like Nathan but that's about where the similarities end.

Nathan shakes his head, "Anyway, I came over here to tell you that Haley's closing the café early and cooking for everyone tonight before Midnight Madness. Get there for six."

"We'll be there." Lucas commits easily.

"Okay, I'll see you later, Man." Nathan throws his apple core in the trash before letting himself back out of the house.

...

Peyton slips behind the bar at Tric and helps herself to all the necessary ingredients for the perfect rootbeer float. She then clicks her way back to her office where Elliot is stood by the pool table, spinning the 8 ball expertly in his hand.

As she prepares the drink, Peyton watches him carefully out of the corner of her eye. Tonight is the start of the basketball season; Midnight Madness. And it's also Elliot's last year as a Tree Hill Raven. As if that wasn't enough, the Scott family have an almost tradition of breaking the all time scoring record in their senior year.

"Talk to me, El," Peyton requests, setting his glass down on the corner of the table.

He looks up at her, through a conflicted brow that is so perfectly Lucas that she almost smiles. He's all blonde hair, knotted brow, scoop turned nose and pressed lips. It's a brooding face if ever she saw one.

"It's just," He licks his lips and keeps his eyes focused on the wall in front of him, "there are all these names on the wall of that gym, and you know what they all say?"

Peyton nods slowly, "Scott."

"Right." Elliot pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs, "And it's not even that people expect me to play like Dad or Nathan or Jamie, or even Dan. They think I'm going to be _better_."

"You love the game." Peyton tells her son, stroking his hair with her fingers. "And it would break my heart to see anything or anyone get in the way of that."

She watches the struggle in the eyes of her little boy; the little boy who is now six feet tall and a senior in high school. She wishes that she could take away his terrors in the same way she could when he was six years old. Back then she could hug him tight to her chest, press a kiss into his hair and sing him stories, and everything would be okay.

Elliot takes a sip of his rootbeer float and glances around his Mom's office. He grew up here, in a way, although he's never quite felt as at home here as his little sister who retreats here whenever she needs a little solace. For Elliot, the rivercourt has always been his sanctuary. Until now. Now that basketball has become so much more than game.

"You put too much pressure on yourself." Peyton tells him, curling her fingers lightly between his wavy hair.

Elliot flicks his gaze back up at her, "Isn't that a family trait?"

"Yes." She rolls her eyes, thinking back to when Lucas first joined the Ravens. "Your Dad had the same thing happen to him, you know. He had Dan's face in the crowd and everyone watching and waiting for the showdown between Dad and Nathan."

Elliot sighs, "Yeah, and then he played great and the rest is history."

"Not without struggle." Peyton points out. "Your Dad had to find the motivation from somewhere and it wasn't easy. Even Nathan didn't always light it up, if he let his head into the game."

Elliot's eyes roam the walls, falling over the artwork that his Dad insisted to be put up on display. He knows that those pictures are in fact the motivation that his Dad used for his game. He's read An Unkindness of Ravens enough times to know all about the line _Your art matters, it's what got me here._

He feels an itch at his fingertips, the need to halt his spinning thoughts; he needs a book to read. He likes the voices of authors filling his mind, whether it's with wise words or nonsense, he doesn't mind much. He likes to fall into other worlds when the real one becomes a little suffocating. He flicks his glance back to his Mom, "Are there any books in your office?"

She smiles back at him. Elliot, even more so than Lucas, loves to read. She can recall his desperation to read when he was little, not satisfied with having to wait for an adult to sit down and read a book to him. "I think I probably have something…" She frowns and goes to find a box that lives under her desk. There's definitely a few copies of Lucas' books in there, for when she's needing inspiration but it's likely there are a few other paperbacks there too.

"Ah," Peyton pulls out a book and holds it aloft, her eyes scrunched shut as she recalls a quote, as best she can from memory, "_The thing is - fear can't hurt you anymore than a dream_. Lord of the Flies. Did you ever read it?"

Elliot frowns, knowing the title, "No, I haven't."

Peyton lifts her eyebrows as she opens the front cover, "Must have been your sister then. Best you read it and sneak it back into the school library since it says _Property of Tree Hill High School_ in the cover."

She passes the book over as Elliot rolls his eyes at his sister. She's never quite mastered a respect for books, not like she has records and music in any case. More often than not when she borrows one of his titles it will come back to him with a tear in a page or nail varnish on the cover.

Pushing his sister's chaotic nature to the back of his mind, Elliot skims his eyes over the blurb of Lord of the Flies. Peyton watches as his expression transforms into a light smile.

"Any good?" She asks.

He nods, "Perfect."

...

Peyton jogs up to the house after dropping Elliot off at school, she pushes down the handle and groans when the door doesn't budge. While she continuously leaves the front door unlocked - a terrible habit - her husband continually locks it behind her. She shrugs her handbag open with one hand and fishes inside for her keys. Just as her hand curls around the _Mom_ keychain she's had for at least a decade, the front door clicks open.

Lucas is dressed in his _Ravens_ polo and most likely about to head out to school. He narrows his eyes at her, since she's supposed to be at Raleigh by now. "Hey," He steps back to let her in and frowns, "Not that I'm complaining but I wasn't expecting to see you until tonight."

"Change of plan." She says, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "I found Elliot at the rivercourt, completely inside his head. Max has gone to the meeting for me."

"Of course he has." Lucas almost laughs. "How's the boy?"

Peyton slips her heels off in the hall and tosses them into a pile made up solely of her and Sawyer's shoes. Lucas sighs but doesn't comment. "He'll be fine. I sent him off with Lord of the Flies. He's just nervous about all those Scott jerseys hanging in that gym."

Lucas nods, having known already really. He follows her upstairs despite the time. Honestly, he's just making up for the fact that he barely got the chance to see her at all this morning. He takes a seat on the edge of their bed and watches lazily as she unzips her dress and lets it fall to the floor. It takes everything in him not to do anything about his wife stood before him in her underwear.

She glances over her shoulder and smirks, "You want to let me know who the Captain is yet?"

"Nice try, Blondie." He says in a low tone as her legs disappear into a pair of ripped jeans. "So, what are you doing today if you're not needed in Raleigh?"

Slipping a white button down around her shoulder she laughs, "Organising the ever-expanding benefit concert."

He smiles, knowing how proud she is that the now annual benefit concert she organises every year for Breast Cancer Awareness is growing almost out of her control. It began as a small venue event at TRIC and is now about to become an open air gig with a host of incredible acts, most of them calling Peyton volunteering to appear without her so much as having to ask.

"I can meet you for lunch though?" Peyton leans up on her toes, reaching around in the top of her wardrobe, wondering if she left her leather jacket there after wearing it last. Usually it hangs on the back of the bedroom door but today it's missing. Her fingertips graze something else, a curved box that she recognises solely by touch; Sawyer's baby box. She made it back when she was expecting, not knowing if she'd get to meet her baby girl. Inside there's a video message, an iPod with a carefully constructed playlist and every picture she'd ever sketched depicting her and Lucas' relationship.

Her fingers linger a moment, and then move across to find another box, this one hexagonal, also pushed to the back of the wardrobe. It's as though she's checking it's still there. This one belongs to Elliot, with a wholly different story encased safely in it's walls. Yet despite the boxes belonging to her kids, they've never even laid eyes on them.

Dropping back to her usual height she steps back and closes the closet, "Have you seen my jacket, Luke? Ellie's jacket."

"Yeah, on Sawyer's back this morning." He reveals through a gruff chuckle before noticing the look in her eye. He stands and wraps an arm around her waist, "You okay?"

"Sometimes something just reminds you how lucky you are." She says.

…


	2. Midnight Madness

_Hey Lovelies! Thank you all so much for reading, I'm so blown away by the response to chapter 1! Hope you continue to enjoy. Any thoughts or questions I'm all ears!_

…

Peyton swings the Comet into the school parking lot and parks haphazardly in the bay usually reserved for her husband's car. Since Lucas shared a ride earlier with Nathan, she figures the spot is as good as hers for the night. She steps out of her car and finds her eyes sighing as she picks out both of her children's cars also sat in the lot. She wishes they could all co-ordinate their journeys but since learning to drive, both Elliot and Sawyer have found any excuse possible to drive themselves everywhere rather than be driven by their parents. It may be something to do with the fact that neither her or Lucas' cars have much legroom in the back seats, but she doesn't think so.

Tonight, following the gathering at the cafe that Haley put on in honour of Midnight Madness, both her kids had made their escapes purposely before their Mom so that they could drive themselves. And she's not going to ride with them; their driving leaves a little to be desired. It's hereditary, she's aware and even if she weren't, Lucas reminds her often enough. He was so cautious about the kids learning to drive that he made both Elliot and Sawyer learn in Haley's reliable sedan. It was a decision he didn't regret; Sawyer reversed into a truck – because the driver 'was a dick' – and Haley's car had to go into the garage. Sawyer paid her back with countless shifts at the coffee house, as she protested her innocence because the guy deserved it.

By the time Peyton's collected her purse from the back seat, the rest of the group's cars have appeared in the car park. She waits by the gym entrance for them, a soft smile covering her lips as she notes the mostly blue and white attire everyone's wearing in honour of the occasion.

"I am so full." Clay groans, one hand holding his stomach as he strolls over, and the other around Quinn's shoulders.

"You didn't need two pieces of pie." Quinn points out through a laugh. At her side eleven year old Scarlett giggles a perfect echo of her Mom's laughter.

Peyton shrugs her shoulders in Clay's defence, "It was good pie."

"It's always good pie." Logan agrees from behind his Dad. He breaks out the same likable grin as his Dad and grabs his little sister around the middle as she squirms and protests, before throwing her over his shoulder. "I'm taking the short one to get a good seat."

He bounds away, Scarlett still hung over his broad shoulder, her long honey hair flowing down his back. Clay calls after him to be careful, despite knowing that Logan would never let his sister come to any harm.

Quinn squints out at the parking lot, rolling her eyes as she spots Haley who is still angling her car to park. Spacial awareness has never been Haley's strong point.

"You know what, I'm gonna go see if Lucas is around," Peyton says, realising that even with Brooke, Julian and the twins now directing Haley, they could be waiting a while. "Save me a seat?"

"Sure." Quinn nods and pushes Clay lightly on the shoulder, "For the love of God please go and help Haley park that thing."

Peyton shakes her head and checks her watch as she clicks away towards the gym. Already she can hear music throbbing through the building; a dense and beat-heavy song that has Sawyer's fingerprints all over it. Peyton can't help from be impressed when she realises that the PA system's rigged up and a playlist is being broadcast across the entire school campus. It doesn't matter that no one's using most of the classrooms or the cafeteria or the assembly hall; it's all about the atmosphere, Peyton appreciates that.

Reaching the door of the Coach's office she taps her knuckles on the glass and then lets herself in. Lucas is inside, pacing a hole in the carpet as Nathan sits opposite sipping from their secret scotch supply.

"Hey, Coach." She smiles her way inside and he fumbles, dropping his clipboard. She laughs shortly, "Nice hands."

His gaze moves from the hem of her dress down to her feet, "Nice legs."

"Jeez." Nathan throws back the last of his drink and slips down from the desk he'd been propped on. "I'm going to go down to the locker room, don't keep him long, Sawyer."

"It's Scott!" She calls after him, despite knowing it's a waste of breath. Having named their daughter Sawyer, Peyton had expected Nathan would give up using the same nickname on her but he's always stubbornly refused. She turns her attention back to her husband, "How are you doing?"

"Not bad." He nods, "The scotch is helping."

Peyton smirks, and helps herself to a swig straight from the bottle. "Whitey's worst kept secret."

"How's the boy?" Lucas asks, knowing that Peyton will have not long left Elliot.

"Acting like a Scott." Peyton grins. Their boy was pacing a hole in the cafe floor not an hour ago, a paperback loose in his hand and a practised squint across his face. Leaning against the desk, Peyton stretched her legs out before her, crossing them at the ankles, "So, you must have the name of that Captain written down around here somewhere."

Lucas denies it, instantly, but she knows him better than that. She turns her head to the desk behind her, pretending to look for it. Really she doesn't want to see it, not yet; she's too afraid that she won't see her son's name on the sheet of paper. She's scared that despite all of his hard work he may not have made it.

Reaching out, Lucas coils his hand around her wrist and pulls her back, "Hey, hey, hey."

Her eyes dazzle back at him, "Now I'm afraid of what you don't want me to see. It's not bad news, is it?"

"Shhh," He coaxes and leans in to press his lips against hers. She closes her eyes and slips her arms around his shoulders, he knows exactly how to make her feel better.

…

Sawyer slips out of the girls' locker room and makes towards the vending machine down the hall, her fingers tapping against her thigh in time to the beat thudding through the halls. She's not really thirsty, if she's honest, but if she stays amongst the gossiping girls, she may do something she regrets.

As she presses the selection for a bottle of water, a voice drifts over from across the hall, "Hey, Sawyer, right?"

She flicks her gaze up to meet the sloppy grin of Griffin Lowe, one of the Ravens. She rolls her eyes and turns back to the machine that's not dispensing her drink. For good measure she gives it a short kick.

"Here, let me." Griffin offers and punches the glass twice with the side of his fist. The bottle drops and reluctantly Sawyer collects it from the drawer.

Still he stands there, eyeballing her. She sighs deeply, "What do you want, Griffin?"

"There's a party at mine tonight." He tells her, spinning a coin in his hand, "You want to be there."

She scoffs, "And when exactly did you become an expert on what I want?"

"Come on, it'll be fun; team bonding." He cuts a practised grin.

Sawyer squints her eyes, "Team bonding? I didn't realise that you were on my team. No one told me you're a cheerleader now."

She unscrews her water and takes a sip. She has nothing against Griffin really, she doesn't even know him. He's been in Elliot's class for as long as she can remember and she knows they're not exactly friends, but her brother doesn't like _Cheetos_ either so it's not as though she can go on his opinion.

Griffin chuckles a little, and hangs his head, "I better get back to the locker room but I'll see you tonight?"

"Will you?" She shoots back, her eyebrows arched. If her best friend Lacey were here she'd be spitting with anger at the way Sawyer's being such a 'closed-off bitch'; she can almost hear Lace's voice screaming in her ear.

Checking her out one last time, Griffin grins and then strolls away, back down the hall. Sawyer watches quietly, wondering softly.

"Who was that tool?" Sawyer jumps at the sound of another voice, one that she knows well, belonging to Logan.

She turns on her heel to see him stood leaning against the girl's restroom, a light scowl in place of his ordinary smile. Sawyer rolls her eyes, "He's one of the players, didn't the uniform give him away?"

Logan smirks a little and pushes back from the wall to move towards her. "He seems like an idiot, Sawy."

She scoffs, "So do you in the right light."

He can't help but smile back at her, he loves her sharp tongue. Behind them the door to the ladies room opens and Scarlett bounds out, excited to be out so late in the evening. Logan grins and holds his hand out to her but she runs to Sawyer instead. Scarlett can't wait for the day that she's a cheerleader.

"Hey, Girly." Sawyer runs her hand over Scarlett's long hair, "Tell your brother he's a silly idiot."

"You're a silly idiot, Logan." She obliges with a grin as Logan pouts.

Sawyer laughs, her green eyes sparkling up at Logan's dark brown, "You better go get your seats, you don't want to miss me perform."

Logan can't help but agree.

…

Elliot sits in his usual corner of the locker room, leaning forward with his elbows rested on his knees and a paperback in hand. He's not really reading though, despite enjoying the book. His eyes are flicking between the page and to the door, waiting for his Dad and Uncle to arrive and announce the Raven's Captain.

"How can you possibly be reading right now?" Joe Judd drops onto the bench beside his best friend and pushes a hand through his dark hair, a nervous habit he's had for as long as Elliot can remember.

Shrugging, Elliot bookmarks his page and sits it down on the bench. "I'm not. Not really."

Joe nods; he and Elliot have been friends since kindergarten, he knows that the book's just a prop, something for Elliot to do with his hands. The darker haired boy claps his hand on his best mate's shoulder and takes a deep breath, "El, you're gonna be fine. Midnight Madness is like, cheerleading or something; just a pep rally at a weird time of the day. It always feels kind of dumb to me."

Elliot's gaze shifts as the door to the locker room opens, but flicks back when he sees that it's only Griffin, one of the other Ravens players. Well, more than just another player; Griffin Lowe is Elliot's main competition for the Captain spot.

"Ignore him." Joe advises, as Griffin starts telling everyone about his weight training routine.

Elliot rubs at his temples, "Kind of hard to, considering the volume."

"Yeah well, as much as it hurts to say it, we need him on this team." Joe points out. He's right, Elliot reluctantly agrees; Griffin is a great player. He just happens to be an asshole at the same time.

Swallowing thickly, Elliot thinks again about the Captaincy. More than anything else, he doesn't want Griffin to be Captain.

"Will you quit worrying?" Joe nudges his shoulder, "You'll make me nervous for the Madness."

Elliot arches his brow, "I thought you said it was dumb?"

"True. But aren't dumb things usually the things we get nervous about?" Joe shrugs.

With a squint, Elliot grins in his friend's direction, "That's the most profound thing you've ever said."

"Jeez, really?" Joe winces, "That was in no way profound and that was the best I have? Maybe I should read some of those books of yours?"

"Scott." Griffin's clipped tone cuts over Elliot and Joe's conversation. "Shouldn't you be warming up on the sidelines? You cheerleaders go on in five minutes."

Rolling his eyes, Elliot forces his chin up to greet Griffin with a heavy look, "Lowe."

"Oh, no, wait." Griffin coils a grin across his lips, "that's your sister. Man, she is looking hot tonight."

Clenching his jaw, Elliot tells himself not to react; it's just locker room talk. He has no idea why Griffin insists on the trash talk with his own team though, not least on Midnight Madness, a pep rally.

"She said she'll be at my party later." Griffin falls down into a seat on the bench opposite, "Hopefully she'll wear a skirt."

Joe catches Elliot's gaze and tells him silently to let it go. They both know what Griffin is like and he isn't worth it.

"I'm kidding." Griffin says finally, holding up his hands. "Well, not about her being hot but no hard feelings, Man."

Elliot watches carefully as Griffin holds out his hand for him to shake; a truce. Around them the locker room stills. There's been a rivalry between the two boys since they both joined the team, although no one quite knows why. Elliot denies his Dad and Uncle's theory that it's because they're so alike though.

Chewing on the inside of his cheeks, Elliot reluctantly realises that he's going to have to shake Griffin's hand, so as not to be rude or the one causing a problem. As he goes to lift his hand the door to the locker room opens and his Dad and Uncle step into the room.

…

Peyton squeezes past a group of students towards her friends who are already on their feet in the stands, ready for the madness to begin. She waves over to them and they all shuffle along a little to make room for her.

When she's within ear shot of them, Brooke calls over to her from behind a smirk, "Someone's been kissing the coach."

"Ew, Mom!" Davis groans from the stand below, turning to show a full face of disgust. "Don't say that."

Shrugging easily, Brooke grins, "Can't help it if it's true."

Peyton rolls her eyes largely as she reaches her best friend but there's a smile lurking at her lips too, "Maybe it is."

"I knew it!" Brooke gasps happily and claps her hands together as the lights dim and the music begins to build. "Oh, this all makes me so nostalgic; making cheerleading routines, locker room hook-ups and sneaking into the see the boys showering. High School was so fun!"

"Brooke." Peyton warns lightly as both Davis and Jude whirl around wearing identical glares. Peyton can't help from laugh a little at that.

Jude clenches his jaw, "Mom. Please. Don't."

Reaching over, Brooke squeezes his cheeks, "You look adorable when you pout like that, Judey."

"Mom!" He pulls away from her, his cheeks aflame.

She only laughs and turns back to Peyton, "Teasing boys never gets old, does it?"

Peyton arches her brow in amusement; her best friend never changes. And she wouldn't have her any other way. As a drum beat rolls through the room, Brooke reaches out and grasps Peyton's hand in anticipation and Peyton's sure that she has hold of Julian's on her other side. Peyton covers her face with a smile; she really loves how excited her friends are for this.

Along the stand she can hear the clear voices of Quinn, Clay, Haley and Julian all calling out their support for Sawyer as the cheerleaders appear. Peyton picks out Sawyer pretty easily; her blonde curls are loose and wild, a little like Sawyer herself. A broad smile covers Peyton's face, this is it; the beginning of the season. From now on it means spending her Friday nights in slightly smelly but nostalgic gyms, cheering on her family as they do the things they love. Sometimes, like tonight, she'll have her friends with her in the crowd and other times she expects she'll be alone in the crowd; everyone is busy and travelling around the district for high school basketball games isn't a commitment they can all keep to religiously. For her though there's no question of where she'll be. During basketball season she lives and breathes the _Tree Hill Ravens_. And she adores it. Seeing the enjoyment it brings Luke, Elliot and Sawyer makes all the travelling, all the game talk and all the heaps of blue and white laundry worth it.

She remembers the day Elliot came back from his first day of little league basketball and the way her usually quietly little guy spoke so animatedly all through dinner about his new team. Similarly she can recall both hers and Lucas' surprise the day that Sawyer told them that she'd joined the cheerleading squad, a pretty little proud smile across her lips. She could tell then that they were in love from those first moments.

"Look how cheery our girl is!" Brooke nudges Peyton in the ribs. "I can hardly believe she's your daughter sometimes."

Peyton rolls her eyes but she doesn't mind the comment, she loves that her daughter has a sunnier outlook than she had as a teenager. Raising her hands to cup her mouth, she calls out her daughter's name and feels a blush cross her chest when Sawyer winks back happily.

…

Lucas surveys the faces of his team; boys that he can barely believe are now seniors in high school, just a year away from college. Not only is his little boy sat opposite him in his usual crook of the room, but the faces of his childhood friends are there too. Lucas has known Joseph Judd since he was a smiley kindergartner who took a square of his comfort blanket with him everywhere. He recognises Griffin Lowe too, recalling how he'd pushed Elliot one Sport's Day back when they were little kids running for medals to show off to their parents. And now, suddenly, they're seventeen years old and almost all grown up. For Lucas, high school could almost be yesterday, _almost_. He can so clearly remember how it felt to sit in this very same locker room, all those years ago, feeling on the edge of everything.

"Midnight Madness." Lucas speaks finally in his crispest tone. "Tonight we are introducing our team to the school and the community. They have all come out in support of you. From right now you represent this team in everything you do. Congratulations, you're a Varsity Tree Hill Raven."

Beside him, Nathan crosses his arms and takes a step forward, "You wear your names on the back of your jerseys. Soon those names will be familiar to everyone sat out in that crowd tonight. Your actions on and off the court represent this team, this school, and even this town. Remember that. I do not want to have to haul one of you off this team for doing something really dumb. You're all good players, that's why you're here."

"But being a good player isn't enough." Lucas warns, continuing in the same tone as his brother, "We want great players. Great players are made of more than talent; they take hard work, dedication, team work. We want a_ team_ of great players. That means putting the hours in, balancing your studies and your social life with basketball. And more important than that, it means treating every person in this room like they are your family."

Nathan nods in agreement, "No man left behind. If someone's struggling, we all struggle. That applies on the court and off the court. And our door is always open too. From now on, if you need anything, you look to the faces in this room. Trust us on that. We're not going to wait until the end of the season for you to realise that what we're saying to you tonight is right. Don't waste this time being an idiot, this is the last year that you're all going to be together. Make it count."

"There are two other people we're counting on to make this team the best it can be; your Captain and Vice-Captain." Lucas sees the boys' attention peak at the mention of the very word 'captain', he knows that's what they're all waiting on. "In my hand are two jerseys belonging to the new Cap and Vice. The owners of these jerseys have been chosen carefully, to lead the team and lead by example. Don't let us down."

Lucas flicks his glance to his brother who nods almost invisibly.

"Every member of this team is important." Nathan picks up, "Without everyone sat in this room, we wouldn't be a team. So with team spirit, I'd like you all to join us in congratulating your new Captain and Vice-Captain."

Lucas passes one of the jerseys in his hand to Nathan and they each unveil the fronts of the uniforms, showing the C and VC emblems printed on the chest. They turn them slowly, Lucas with the Captain's jersey in hand, and Nathan with the Vice. Shamelessly, Lucas' eyes are fixed on his son. He feels a swell in his chest as Elliot breaks into a full and consuming smile as he reads the name _Scott _on the Captain's jersey.

Throwing it out to him, Lucas smiles too, "Well Done, Kid."

Nathan does the same with the Vice jersey, passing it to Griffin Lowe with a sincere nod. The decision was one Lucas and Nathan had argued over; Luke wasn't - and still isn't - a fan of Lowe but Nathan sees a little of himself in the kid. Lucas gave him the benefit of the doubt, hoping that like him and Nathan, Elliot and Griffin can learn to get along. He knows that if they were to work together, they could build a great team.

After swapping his jersey, Elliot stands and holds out his hand to Griffin to congratulate him. Lucas nods over the exchange, hoping this is the start of a great season.

…

Sawyer pulls herself up out of the splits following the end of the cheerleader's Midnight Madness routine and cheers with the rest of the squad, trying to raise the anticipation of the room even higher. She catches her Mom's face in the crowd, stood next to her Aunt Brooke who's screaming her name loudly, her Mom winks at her and Sawyer tucks away a smile. Despite any impression she may give, Sawyer loves cheerleading. Her Aunt Brooke, having no daughters of her own, passed her passion down to her goddaughter. Sawyer likes choreographing more than anything else - she likes putting _anything _to music - but she also enjoys being a part of her Dad and brother's world. And although she would never admit it out loud to a single soul, she likes her cheerleading outfit too.

The doors at the far end of the gym are pushed open and her Dad and Uncle Nathan step inside to crazy applause. Her Dad looks serious as ever but Nathan's grinning boyishly, that happens about every time he's near a basketball court though. The butterflies that never showed before her own routine suddenly begin to squirm in Sawyer's stomach, she's so nervous for Elliot.

She hasn't seen much of her big brother all day. Back at the cafe she did steal him away for a couple of minutes to the rooftop to wish him luck but he was quickly pulled away from her by her Uncles. In those few minutes though she'd been able to read him perfectly and so she knows how worried he is. Personally she doesn't get it but they've always been kind of different in that way. Sawyer loves cheerleading but she doesn't care whether she's Captain or not, as long as she's doing it. Elliot though, aches to live up to the name on the back of his jersey, worried that people will judge him against them. Sawyer supposes they will compare him to them, people are dumb like that, but she wishes he didn't let that get to him. Because its important to him though, its important to her too.

Her Dad clears his throat across the room and greets the room with a practised half smirk. The music cuts and he steps forwards to give a short speech to the Ravens supporters.

Sawyer knows every word of it my heart already. Usually her Dad gets her Mom or Elliot to read over his stuff but on this occasion, with a speech, he chose Sawyer. And she was quietly honoured. She's not the grammar perfectionist that Elliot is, nor does she have the creamy compliments of her Mom. But she is honest and she can work a room pretty well.

She mouths along with him, unable to stop herself and she catches her Uncle grinning at her for it. She pokes her tongue out in his direction but his gaze has already moved away. He's frowning towards the exit of the gym, the creases in his brow deepening as he squints. Sawyer copies his action and swivels her head towards what he may be looking at. All she sees though are a few people stood by the doors, listening to her Dad as he speaks.

Shaking her head, she tears her eyes away, back to her Dad who's nearing the end of the speech. Sawyer's butterflies begin to dance more ferociously in the pit of her stomach; in a moment the new Captain is going to be announced.

Her Dad snaps his eyes up at the crowd as they applaud his words and then he holds his hand up to politely quieten their cheers. He grins at their enthusiasm and indicates to the wide banner covering the door to the boys' locker room. The banner, which is Sawyer's handiwork, depicts a Raven in a jersey and shorts, scoring a basketball. She winces a little knowing that any second it's about to be torn in two.

"I would like to introduce you all to your Tree Hill Ravens, and your new Captain…" Her Dad pauses for dramatic effect and Sawyer curses him lightly for it. She hates waiting for things. "Elliot Scott!"

Sawyer breaks into a wide grin as her brother runs through the banner looking sheepish but thrilled all at once. The music crescendos and the crowd erupts into cheers, the loudest of which come from her friends and family.

"Hey!" Nathan's voice rips across the moment, sharp and cutting. Sawyer turns towards him as he starts to run across the gym floor, his face painted with a kind of thunder that she's never witnessed on him before. The whole room stops and the lights go up just as the door at the far end of the gym slams closed. Nathan cries out again in a frustrated tone, "Someone stop her!"

He reaches the doors and hauls them open before disappearing through them as the room watches on, bewildered. A few people trickle out after him but it seems like they have no idea what's made the assistant coach so mad. Her Dad throws his arms out with confusion as the crowd begins to whisper. Slowly the rest of the team begin to dribble through from the locker room, wondering what the hold up is.

Sawyer steps towards her brother and throws him a sad smile for having his moment ruined, "Congratulations, El."

Elliot grins, "Thanks, ET."

She rolls her eyes at the use of the nickname and slugs him lightly on the arm as Joe jogs up to them. "Hey, no fighting! There's enough madness in this place already. I heard Nathan's busting some kids for drugs as we speak."

"Drugs?" Elliot arches his brow as Sawyer frowns.

She's not convinced Nathan would go so crazy for a kid taking drugs and she's not even sure there were any kids over by the door, just some scattered parents, but crazier things have definitely happened at Midnight Madness. As the gym quietly begins to descend into chaos, Sawyer sees her Dad throw his clipboard to the floor in frustration, she can't help but think that maybe Griffin's party might be just what she needs.

…

Peyton hugs her steaming mug of coffee in her hands and flicks her glance over at Nathan who's stood on the other side of the kitchen whispering lowly to Haley. The whole gang are gathered at Clay and Quinn's following Midnight Madness, anxiously waiting on Nathan to explain his freak out at the gym. The kids are in the family room, fighting sleep with the distraction of a movie - save for Elliot and Sawyer who have headed out to a party - whilst the adults are in the kitchen waiting on Quinn to finish putting Scarlett to bed.

"I don't see why this couldn't wait until morning." Brooke yawns, slipping into the vacant seat beside Peyton and checking her cell for the time, "I mean I know it_ is_ morning already but I need sleep. I'm not like Elliot and Sawyer anymore, I can't stay out all night and party unfortunately."

"This is hardly a party, Brooke." Nathan says tautly as he leans over the table reaching for a spoonful of sugar.

With an arch of her brow, Brooke looks up at him, "What _is_ this, Boytoy?"

He shakes his head simply and disappears into his coffee cup. Clearly he's not going to say anything until Quinn's back downstairs.

Peyton taps her fingernails on the tabletop impatiently until Lucas covers her hand with his own and stills her with a glance. She's panicking and not trying to hide it.

On the drive over from the school, Lucas told her that he thought Nathan must have seen a journalist. She can't bring herself to agree though. She knows the team well enough and they seem like great kids, she can't see that a journalist could find a juicy story there, nor can she imagine Nathan acting so madly over an article. Rarely has she ever seen Nathan act so shaken, save for a few meetings with Dan Scott which of course is completely excusable, the whole thing has left her with a queasy feeling in her stomach.

"Okay, I'm here! Scarlett's asleep. What's the crack?" Quinn says breathily as she pours herself a tea and looks pointedly to Nathan.

Realising that he has no more excuses to hide behind, Nathan takes a deep breath. Clay claps him on the back for good measure and the younger Scott brother throws him back a dark look.

"Right, so, I guess I was just looking out at the crowd whilst Luke was doing his thing," Nathan begins unsteadily, his eyes cast downwards. "And I saw this face and I wasn't sure, I mean I'm still not sure, what I saw but…I think it was her,"

Lucas swallows thickly, "Her, who?"

Peyton knows before the words the words leave his mouth. She knows, as soon as Nathan's sharp blue eyes snap up to meet hers. She knows who he saw.

He takes a moment to answer and when he does the name rings in Peyton's ear, "Lindsey. It was Lindsey."

Every eye in the room falls over Lucas and Peyton, watching and worrying over their reaction. Peyton doesn't move; she takes a deep breath in and out and forces back any tears that might be threatening in her eyes. Next to her she can feel Lucas tensing up. She turns her gaze to see his jaw locking and his eyes storming.

"You _think _you saw her?" Lucas asks tightly. "Or you saw her?"

Running a hand through his hair, Nathan rolls his shoulders, "I don't know, man. It's been so long but, it looked like her."

"Then you're not sure." Lucas clarifies through a nod, squinting his eyes darkly.

"Luke," Peyton's voice is notably soft against her husband's.

She squeezes his hand and looks to him desperately. This is their nightmare come true; the thing that's kept them awake at night on-or-off for sixteen years. She's imagined this moment a thousand different ways, created the scenario hundreds of times over in her mind but never has she come close to capturing the emotion that she's feeling right now. She feels empty and full all at once; about to lose everything but prepared to fight for everything and everyone she loves.

"Lucas." She says more forcefully, trying to temp his gaze back to her.

Instead he stands from the table and runs his hand along his stubbled jaw, "Why would she come here? After all this time of not giving a damn about him? It wasn't her, Nathan. You have to have been mistaken. It wasn't her, okay?"

"I'm pretty sure, Lucas." Nathan says thickly. "I mean, why would someone run off like that unless they have something to hide?"

Haley reaches out for her husband's hand as Brooke and Julian move their eyes back and forth between Lucas and Peyton. Clay and Quinn share a look, more than anyone else they can appreciate how the two blondes in the kitchen feel.

Peyton reaches out for Lucas' hand, "Come and sit down. Please."

Lucas turns back to her and her heart constricts at the glaze covering his eyes. "Peyt,"

"She's back." Peyton says slowly in a brittle voice. She knows that Lucas wants to deny it, and she does too, but something inside her knows that Nathan is right about what he saw. Lindsey's here.

Exhaling largely, Quinn sets her coffee cup down on the table and move towards the cabinet. She reaches up and produces a bottle of whiskey, "Coffee isn't going to cut it for this conversation."

Julian finds some glasses by way of response and together they begin to pour and pass the drinks out. Lucas takes the first one and swallows it down in one large gulp. Peyton watches him carefully and ignores her own drink.

"It's good for shock." Clay tells her, nodding to the drink.

Softly she shakes her head, "One of us has to drive home."

"I can give you a ride." Julian offers simply.

Lucas holds his own glass out for a top up causing Peyton to scowl over at him, "Drinking isn't going to make this go away, Lucas."

"Neither is not drinking." Lucas shoots back a little sharply before remembering himself. He sighs and glances to her sideways, "I'm sorry. How can you be so calm about this?"

She rolls her shoulders and tilts her head, "I don't know. Because I'm scared?"

"Come here, Blondie." He pulls her towards him in a one-armed hug and presses a kiss to her curls. "It's going to be okay."

"It is?" She asks lightly, her lips feigning a smile.

Lucas slips his hand around hers and brings it to his lips, lying a kiss over her knuckles. She looks back at him, over their hands and looks right into his red rimmed eyes. "He's _our_ son, Peyton and she can't change that, not now."

…

_Thank you so much for reading :)_

_Just a quick question, would anyone happen to know if Lydia would be in the same grade as Davis and Jude? I know that the OTH timeline is crazy as it is but I've worked everyones ages out as best I can, the only thing I'm not sure about is the American school system. If someone could help me out with that I'd be hugely appreciative._

_Lexie :)_


	3. At Dawn we Rage

Wow! I have to say the hugest** Thank Yo**u to everyone reading this story and for everyone who has left such lovely, lovely comments on the story so far. I'm absolutely blown away. I appreciate each and every one of you, so much! Thank you also for your opinions on the Lydia/Davis&Jude ages, you've all helped out massively.

Thank you again, I hope you enjoy, Lexie :)

_..._

_Lucas checked his cell again for the time, a smile catching at his lips at the sight of his baby girl beaming back at him from the wallpaper on his phone. She was six months old and changing by the day. Predictably she was a complete Daddy's girl and saved up secret smiles like the one on his phone especially for him._

_It was almost eleven. He had arrived early, as he always liked to. For the past twenty minutes or so he'd been watching the street carefully, looking out for a familiar face in the crowd; Haley's face. They'd agreed to meet in Wilmington on the street Lucas had texted to her last night. He hadn't suggested that they drive down together though; he wanted his best friend with him but he couldn't face her logic and assumptions on the journey._

_What they were in Wilmington for, Lucas couldn't quite say. A few days ago he'd had an email out of the blue from Lindsey. He'd almost deleted it without reading but he knew that wasn't really fair to her. So he'd read it. And then re-read it, unable to fathom quite what she wanted. He'd suspected there was something that needed to be smoothed over with Ravens or The Comet - he couldn't imagine that she'd be contacting him for anything but professional reasons. She hated his guts, and rightly so, he supposed. All she'd stated was that it was imperative that they meet in a restaurant in Wilmington the following week. _

_Lucas had struggled and stuttered over telling Peyton but she'd only shrugged back at him with quilted eyes and a light smile saying that he should go. She reminded him that Lindsey would only contact him for something really important. That had set his mind whirling too; he wondered if it was bad news, like a plagiarism lawsuit or being dropped from his publishers._

_As the digital clock rolled forward another minute, a loud tap on the window shocked him from his thoughts. It was Haley, her eyes between welcoming and concerned. He was glad to see her, she'd always gotten along well with Lindsey and would hopefully act as a buffer between the two exes._

"_Hi, thanks for coming." He told her as he stepped out of the car._

"_Sure." She shrugged, looking up and down the street with her warm dark eyes, "Plus Peyton totally slipped me fifty bucks to come with you."_

"_She did?" Lucas arched his brow, he hated to think that Peyton was worried about this, like she had anything to be concerned about._

_Haley laughed and shoved Lucas lightly on the arm, "Dude, no. Like I'd charge. Besides, I want to know what this is all about."_

"_You and me both." Lucas said as he squinted at the storefront of the address Lindsey had provided him with. He frowned up at the family restaurant and double checked his scrawled note. He knew Lindsey well enough and he couldn't imagine her picking this eatery over the coffee house on the corner or the posh brunch place two doors down. "Okay, this is the place."_

_Either Haley didn't notice the unusual location or she chose not to comment, instead she took the lead and pushed open the door to the restaurant. The place was a wall of noise; jovial music playing, chattering families and a little play area towards the back of the place. _

_Again Lucas frowned over his note page, "You know I'm not sure this is-,"_

"_There she is." Haley cut him off, taking him by the cuff and dragging him forward. _

_His eyes met Lindsey's guiltily. She looked much the same and different all at once. Her hands were hugged around a steaming cup that Lucas would bet was a latte, her oceanic eyes fixed on Lucas. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail and she was wearing a plain v-neck sweater and very little make up; she was like Lindsey but softer around the edges._

"_Haley, hi," Lindsey stood and brushed herself down to greet her old friend, the surprise evident in her voice at seeing her. She only nodded to Lucas shortly and he returned the gesture as they slipped into their seats._

_Haley grabbed for the menu to scan the drinks list, deciding on a tea before asking Lucas what he'd like. He shrugged and mumbled coffee out of habit. Nodding Haley indicated towards the counter and then slipped away again. _

_Instantly Lucas felt the space of her absence, as though the table had suddenly stretched in length and Lindsey was as far away as the next room. Coughing gruffly, he angled a look to Lindsey, "So,"_

"_Right." She laid her hands palm down on the table and took a deep breath. _

"_If it's bad news just, come right out and say it." Lucas told her. He saw no point in dragging it out._

_She shook her head, her eyes cast down and ran a hand through her ponytail, "It's,"_

_Lucas frowned towards her and she snapped her glance back up at him, tears suddenly glistening in eyes. Feeling as though he was suddenly drowning Lucas looked desperately to the counter but Haley was busy chatting to a lady and her little girl who were a place ahead of her in the queue. "Linds,"_

_She held her hand up, "Wait here. I'll be right back."_

_Before he could say another word she too had left the table, leaving Lucas' mind whirring. He hadn't considered for a second that this meeting would be personal, he'd anticipated only business, but seeing how upset she was a pool of dread was forming in his stomach. He felt sick at the thought of what she might want from him; some kind of joint therapy or a mercy date to a family event, he had no idea. He wished Haley wasn't stuck in the line still, so that she could run after Lindsey to the restroom and try and calm her down. He hated that she was upset, knowing that somehow it was probably his doing._

_The minutes passed and Lucas waited, drumming his fingers on the tabletop. Finally Haley appeared at least, drinks in hand and a question painted over her face._

"_She tore off to the restroom before we even got started." Lucas explained, covering his face with his hands. From behind them he spoke to his best friend, "This was a terrible idea."_

"_Um, Lucas," Haley's voice was changed, a gasp almost. _

_He dropped his hands and gave her a sideways glance. Her mouth was agape, her eyes fixed ahead of her. Spinning his glance, Lucas' gaze fell once again over Lindsey. And a little boy in her arms._

_He was around eighteen months, Lucas would guess, with eyes like Lindsey's and a picture book clasped in his hands._

_No one spoke for a moment until Lindsey swiped a tear from her eye and took a deep breath, "He's yours, Lucas. And I really can't do it anymore."_

"_He's mine?" Lucas echoed through a croak. He was overwhelmed and guilty, angered even. His little boy stared back at him obliviously; a little boy whom he hadn't even known existed. A swell built in Lucas' chest, the same feeling he'd had when he saw Sawyer for the first time; a want to protect and an overwhelming fit of love. It wasn't ideal, he knew, and he had no idea how he was going to tell Peyton, but right now his only thought was for the little boy opposite him. Shaking his head, Lucas indicated towards him, "Can I?"_

_Lindsey passed the toddler over quickly, "His name's Elliot. Elliot Keith Scott, for my Dad and for Keith, it seemed, fitting."_

"_He's incredible." Lucas marvelled as Elliot sat contently on his lap, flicking absently through the picture book._

_Haley leaned in towards Lindsey, "When you say you can't do it anymore, you don't mean…?"_

"_I want Lucas to take him." Lindsey said crisply. "I've tried. I did everything the baby books said, but I can't cope anymore. I have sitters with him around the clock whilst I work, I'm not cut out for this."_

"_Lindsey," Haley reached across the table as Lindsey tried to push away her tears. "This is an incredible decision."_

"_I've decided." Lindsey said grittily._

_Lucas blinked back at her, "You can't be serious."_

…

Peyton swipes her hand beneath her eyes as her eyes swim over the box that's sitting on her bed. Her fingers glide over the pattern painted across the top as she considers everything that's inside. Like Sawyer's baby box, Elliot's is a message from his Mama; a message of how much she loves him and all the things she wanted to tell him, all the things she was afraid he may not hear from her.

Everyday that passed after Lucas returned home with Elliot and the adoption papers, Peyton was sure that Lindsey was going to appear on their doorstep demanding her little boy back. It's a feeling that's never really passed. With that in mind, after a particularly sweet day with Elliot and Sawyer - just the three of them whilst Lucas was away - Peyton decided that her little boy deserved a baby box like his sister's.

Closing her eyes, Peyton exhales deeply. With both of her kids she had the fear that she may not see either of them grow up. Sawyer because of the Placenta Pevia and Elliot due to Lindsey. She knows she's lucky on both counts, blessed to have been there for every step of their lives. But there has always been a chance that it may not have happened that way, hence the boxes. They're time capsules, or 'just-in-case' capsules as Lucas christened them; boxes that Lucas could never quite bring himself to be a part of because their purpose terrified him. For Peyton though they were a necessity, she's never wanted her kids to have to suffer like she did; wondering if Ellie and Mick loved her and what they would say to her if they could see her now. She wanted in some small way to be a part of their lives, even if it came to be that she would be there in person.

Lucas steps into the room behind her, his tie now loose around his neck and a scowl written across his brow, "What are you doing?"

"We have to tell them, right? Tell him, I mean." She frowns lightly and shakes her head, "No, tell them both. Maybe Elliot first…but Sawyer will be scratching at the door anyway,"

Reaching his wife, Lucas lays his hands over her upper arms to still her shaking form, "We're not doing this."

Her eyes flash up at him, wounded but defiant. "Lucas, we have to do this. If she's here then I want it to come from us. I can't have him finding out any other way. I can't let someone else take this moment, you know? It's going to suck but I can't let anyone else handle it. Maybe we should sit them down as soon as they get back from that party even,"

"If she's here," Lucas says thickly, looking down straight into her watery green eyes, "then shes' not getting anywhere near him."

"Lucas." Peyton says through a tremulous tone.

"She cannot just show up here, choosing to suddenly make an appearance in his life. She doesn't get to do that. This is his senior year. He's just made Captain and he's working for Valedictorian. I'm not going to let anything ruin that." Lucas slips his tie from his collar and throws it onto the dresser.

Peyton watches her husband carefully, and takes a deep breath, "The timing's horrible, I agree, but there was never going to be a good time for this to happen. And Ellie turned up when I was going into my senior year and I wouldn't change that for the world-,"

"That's different." Lucas states gruffly.

"It is?" Peyton pushes back. Ellie gave her up and the first she ever heard about it was when her birth mother showed up on her doorstep the summer after junior year. Peyton's not naive enough not to see that this is history repeating itself all over.

Lucas lifts the box from the bed and paces back towards the closet, "This goes back, right now."

Peyton grabs him by the arm and wheels him back around, "Hey! Don't do this, don't pull away from me. We are talking about this. We need to think of Elliot. Lindsey is his birth Mom, Lucas, he deserves to know that."

"How can you stand there and defend her?" Lucas questions bewildered, his voice devoid of anger. For the first time in a long time he looks back at his wife, unable to understand a single thing that is going on in her head.

"Defend her?" Peyton cries out, "How can you possibly think that I'm going to _defend_ her? I'm terrified of her, terrified of what she is going to do to my family, _our _family Lucas! I'm his Mom, okay? And it's my job to protect him. If I could think of a way of shielding him from this for the rest of his life then I would, but that wouldn't be fair to him."

Lucas' jaw clenches, "Fair to him? What's not fair to him is that we haven't heard a damn thing from her,what's not fair to him is that she abandoned him!"

"It's not fair." Peyton agrees. "But you need to stop putting Dan into this situation."

"I am not putting Dan into this situation." Lucas grits his teeth. The very mention of his father's name always sends anger coursing through his veins.

Peyton arches her brow, "I have abandonment issues too, Luke. I get it. But I am so thankful that I got to grow up with my parents. Giving me up was the most difficult decision Ellie ever made but she gave me a wonderful life, and Lindsey's done the same. Selfishly I'm glad that she hasn't been here for the past sixteen years, because we got to enjoy Elliot uninterrupted."

Lucas inclines his head questioningly, "Then why interrupt it now? Why let her change it?"

Nodding her head, Peyton takes the box back from Lucas and lies her hand lovingly over the top of it, "Because I love him too much. In ten, twenty, thirty years time, I don't want him to ever ask me the question of why I kept her from him. I don't want him to have questions. I don't want him to ever think that I put my own feelings before his."

"You're putting Ellie into this situation, you know." Lucas shoots back but his voice is softer now.

"Mmm, I know." Peyton agrees, "But I need a good comparison. I need to remind myself why we should let them meet. Without that I'd be barricading the door."

Lucas moves to the bed and sinks down into a seated position, his head in his hands. "What if it doesn't turn out like you and Ellie? What if this is the worst decision we ever make? What if-,"

Setting Elliot's box down on the bed, Peyton crouches down before her husband and closes her hands around his, "Then we'll fix it. We'll fix it, okay?"

Hearing the quaver in her voice, Lucas pulls his hands away from his face. There are tears sparkling in her eyes and he realises that she's possibly more terrified than he is, and with good cause. It's not another father that Elliot's about to discover, but a mother, someone who could threaten every ounce of love and care Peyton has devoted to Elliot.

Lucas cradles her chin and forces her watery eyes to meet hers, "I'm sorry. We shouldn't be fighting."

"We're on the same side, right?" Peyton says in a small voice. She wonders if this is how it's going to be now; the pair of them constantly switching roles between being devastated, and being each other's rock.

"Of course we are." Lucas confirms solidly.

Peyton looks up at him, as though she can save him this time as well, "What are we gonna do, Lucas?"

Without speaking Lucas takes her hand in his own and pulls her gently down to the bed, both of them still fully dressed. Peyton lies over his chest, tickling her fingers between the buttons on his shirt and finally letting free the tears. She's trying to be strong because she has to be, for Elliot, but inside her heart is breaking.

Feeling the shake in his wife's chest, Lucas hugs his arm around her tighter and stares up at the ceiling, "We're going to lie right here," His voice breaks a little and rasps, "And I'm going to remind you of every reason that this family is stronger than you think it is."

…

Elliot waves to Joe as his friend and designated driver pulls away from the kerb. He jogs towards his house as the sun crests in the distance and the world rolls into another day. Usually he's not one for all night parties, he's not a big drinker and he hates dealing with drunk people, but making Captain kind of called for a big celebration. That and it's a means for forgetting the craziness of his uncle at Midnight Madness.

As he nears the house he realises that Sawyer's sat outside on the porch swing scowling and sketching into a notebook. She's still dressed in the tiny shorts and band tee that she wore to the party, seemingly oblivious to the world slipping into a new day around her. Honestly Elliot's a little surprised to see her there, and not just because it's close to dawn and she's sat outside the house. More that his little sister never beats him home from a party. While he almost always retires early, Sawyer likes to live out the night for as long as she can. Thankfully she too isn't a big drinker but she's always enjoyed watching her peers at parties for some reason, that and controlling the music where possible. When she first started showing up at high school parties about a year or so ago Elliot used to trail her to make sure that she didn't get into any trouble. He's learnt since then though that Sawyer can look after herself well enough and she hates him over her shoulder anyway.

Taking the steps quickly, he falls against the porch and kicks the swing lightly with his toe. Sawyer doesn't so much as jump. Instead she snaps her sketchbook shut away from his eyes and pierces him with her green stare. She pops some earphones from her beneath her curls and hits pause on her iPod.

Elliot sighs a little, sometimes his sister doesn't shut up and other times she hides behind her eyes, waiting for someone to push themselves in. "Alright, I'll ask. Why are you sat out here in the cold?"

Sawyer squints her eyes back at him, "Do you believe that when something really, really good happens that something bad happens to balance it out?"

"No." Elliot says simply, folding his arms as a signal for her to get on with it.

"I left the party because the music was lame." Sawyer tells him, omitting the fact that Griffin Lowe may have also tried to slip his hand up her shirt so she threw a drink over him and stormed out. "And when I got back here Mom and Dad were arguing. So I didn't go in."

A flicker of surprise passes across Elliot's features. Their parents don't really argue, not as such. They disagree about a silly little things and bicker lightly for days over it through secret grins and hooded glances, they rarely argue though. It's even more out of character for them to be having a disagreement in the early hours of the morning.

"Are you sure?" He chances, angling a look her way.

He can see before she speaks that her reply is going to be sour, "You know what? I probably mistook the wind for Mom and Dad's voices yelling. Of course I'm sure, you idiot!"

He swallows and surveys the now quiet house, "Okay, sorry. Did you hear what it was about?"

"No." She says shortly and then shakes her curls this way and that, "Yes. I heard something and then I turned my music up full blast and listened to that instead."

Even for Sawyer she's being a little evasive. Elliot leans back and questions her with his eyes, "What did you hear, Sawy?"

She picks at a loose hem on her t-shirt before flickering her watery eyes back up at him, "Another woman. It was about another woman."

Elliot took an ice bath once, on his uncle's suggestion. He can remember slipping into the water and the feeling of every cell in his body fighting against the cold. His lungs stopped and then gasped, his skin blued before rippling with goosebumps and his heart chased for warmth. On that day he'd cursed Nathan and vowed that he'd never take another ice bath so that he didn't have to feel like that ever again. Yet standing on the porch with the sun warm on his back, he felt submerged.

"You're not serious." He asks, knowing full well that she is. He can read it all over her face. "Another woman? Dad would never do that. He, he idolises Mom! I don't get it, Nathan said they were…making out in Dad's office before Madness."

Sawyer shrugs her slight shoulders, "Maybe she didn't know about it then."

"This doesn't make any sense." Elliot drops into the seat beside his sister and covers his face with his hands.

Sawyer leans over and lays her head against his side, causing Elliot to instinctively wrap his arm around her skinny shoulders. "I don't want to go inside. I don't want it to be different."

"Hey," Elliot turns so that his dark blue eyes are fixed on hers, "Maybe Mom was wrong, it might not be how it sounds. Or maybe it's not even about them, it could be that Mom saw someone else with another woman. It could even be some other woman who annoyed her at the grocery store, you know how she gets."

Forcing a weak smile to her lips, Sawyer brushes her hands under her eyes. "Yeah, okay."

He can tell that she doesn't really believe him though.

"Look, say something is going on," He swallows thickly, trying not to imagine it. He doesn't want to believe that their Dad could do something like that either, to their Mom, to_ them._ Growing up his Dad was his hero and honestly he still kind of is. "It won't all be different, you know. I'll be there. That won't change."

Sawyer hugs her arms around her brother tightly, "Aunt Brooke always says that they were meant to be, that Dad wrote a whole damn books about her and showed them to the world. Aunt Haley gave me all those predictions they wrote as kids and Dad's were all about Mom. He doesn't love her, El, he worships her."

"I know, look, you need to stop doing this." Elliot tells her softly. "It's late, come inside, with me."

Sawyer doesn't make any motion to move, instead she clings onto Elliot and buries her head in his side.

"Come on, ET." Elliot slips his arms around her bag and beneath her legs, lifting her easily in his arms. She wriggles and kicks in protest but he's too strong for her to win.

"Elliot! Put me down!" She demands as he backs inside through the front door.

He quirks an easy grin back at her, ever since they were kids he's been picking her up against her will. He steps into the darkened house just as a door clicks closed down the hall and instantly he feels Sawyer tense in his arms. He hates that she's suddenly so afraid of their home, of facing their parents.

Lucas stares back at his kids as they look back at him, alarmed at being caught crawling in late from the party. Elliot is carrying Sawyer bridal style, the same way that Lucas has carried Peyton countless times. They're the image of himself and Peyton, always have been; Sawyer being her mother's double and Elliot, of course, carrying only Lucas' features.

Looking darkly over his daughter, Lucas flicks his gaze to Elliot, "Is she drunk?"

"I'm not drunk." Sawyer says fiercely and pushes her way out of Elliot's hold. "I'm _fine_."

With a characteristic scowl she turns away and thumps up the stairs before slamming her bedroom door. Lucas arches his brow after her and then squints towards Elliot for an answer.

Elliot looks back at him with a stare as deep as the pacific before shrugging in his own teenage way. "Night, Dad."

"Night, Son." Lucas returns thickly.

…

_Peyton pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, "Let me get this straight, Lindsey just left you with him?"_

_She was stood across from Lucas in Nathan and Haley's kitchen, leaning all of her weight on the counter top as though she may collapse at any moment. Lucas sighed towards her and rubbed his hand softly along the base of her back. He and Haley had just returned from their trip to Wilmington with the addition of an extra passenger in the backseat. "He was grouching in my lap and she excused herself to the restroom, she never came back."_

"_Isn't that a little cliche?" Peyton shot back, her brow arched, "Who am I kidding? This is Tree Hill. I told you we should move away."_

"_Peyt," He pleaded listlessly, knowing that she was only going through the motions of processing the news. _

_She shook her head, "I don't mean that. It's just that drama seems to breed in this town. I'm sorry, I'm just…shocked? Selfishly kind of devastated?"_

"_Hey," Lucas coaxed her watery gaze up to meet his, "This is not a threat to us. I mean it."_

_She looked at him desperately, desperately wanting to believe him, but he could see that she didn't. Not quite. She pursed her lips before drawing a deep breath, "Lucas, there is a little boy out there with a perfect little squint and a lop-sided grin whose Mom has deserted him. He's your son. _Your _son."_

"_And you're my wife. And Sawyer's my daughter." Lucas reminded her softly._

_Peyton attempted a tight smile, "I know. Okay, this is getting us nowhere. How are we going to find Lindsey?"_

_Grazing his hand along the back of his neck, Lucas winced, "You know I'm not so sure she wants to be found. Haley found adoption papers drawn up in the diaper bag."_

"_Adoption papers?" Peyton echoed, her glittering eyes crumpling to a frown, "But you're his Dad, right?"_

_Nodding slowly, Lucas folded his arms around her, "I am. But you're not his Mom."_

"_What?" Peyton broke away from him, her eyes wild._

"_I think she's been planning this for a really long time, everything's in place. Typical Lindsey. It kind of makes sense." Lucas offered meekly. "All the legal stuff has been worked though. Everything has been covered so that she doesn't need to be contacted again."_

_Peyton stared back at him, her mouth agape with shock, "She can't just desert him! God! First she hides this ridiculous earth-shattering secret from you and then she expects _us _to pick up the pieces when she runs away! Lucas, are you not seeing what I'm seeing?"_

"_I am." Lucas assured softly, "I know it's all-,"_

"_All what?" Peyton cut in pointing her finger, "What word could possibly describe this?"_

_Lucas laid his hands on her shoulders stilling her, "It's sudden. And kind of crazy, I know, but he's my son."_

_Biting down on her lip, Peyton tried to contain her tears, "And you say this isn't a threat? You've already chosen him."_

"_I'm not choosing anyone." Lucas said, "But I couldn't very well leave him in a restaurant in Wilmington."_

_Peyton disappeared behind her hands and Lucas knew she was crying. He hated to put this on her; to bring home a child, a child that Peyton knew she could never give to Lucas herself following the dangerous pregnancy with Sawyer. _

"_Hey," Lucas closed his arms around her, "Whatever happens, we can get through this. I promise you."_

_There was a tap on the door followed by Nathan's sheepish frame in the doorway, "Hey, sorry," _

_Brushing the tears from her eyes, Peyton shook her head, "It's okay…"_

"_It's just that Elliot won't settle, he's asking for his Mom." Nathan told them awkwardly. He knew that he was interrupting a serious conversation between his brother and sister-in-law but nothing he or Haley were doing was calming the little boy. _

_Peyton clutched her hands to her chest. She didn't like the situation at all - internally she was cursing Lindsey - but a small part of her just wanted to scoop Elliot up and tell him that everything was going to be okay. She could feel the whispers of her own voice circling in her mind; People Always Leave. The little boy whimpering in the next room wasn't so different from her._

_Stepping out of Lucas' hold, Peyton swept out of the room to the lounge. At the sight of her Mom, Sawyer beamed from where she was sat with Jamie, playing pat-a-cake, Peyton returned the gesture but went instead to Haley who was bouncing Elliot in her arms._

"_Here," Peyton held out her arms, "Let me try."_

_From behind her Lucas watched as she took the little boy and pressed a kiss into his hair in an action as natural as breathing._


End file.
